"Gordon R. Dickson - Call him lord" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

They rode down the slope and through a winding valley
and came out at a small village. As they rode clear of the
surrounding trees a sound of music came to their ears.
"What's that?" The Prince stood up in his stirrups. "Why,
there's dancing going on, over there."
"A beer garden. Lord. And it's Saturdaya holiday here."
"Good. We'll go there to eat."
They rode around to the beer garden and found tables back
away from the dance floor. A pretty, young waitress came
and they ordered, the Prince smiling sunnily at her until she
smiled backthen hurried off as if in mild confusion. The
Prince ate hungrily when the food came and drank a stein and
a half of brown beer, while Kyle ate more lightly and drank
coffee.
"That's better," said the Prince, sitting back at last. "I had
an appetite . . . Look there, Kyle! Look, there are five, six . . .
seven drifter platforms parked over there. Then you don't all
ride horses?"
"No," said Kyle. "It's as each man wishes."
 "But if you have drifter platforms, why not Other civilized
things?"
"Some things fit, some don't. Lord," answered Kyle. The
Prince laughed.
"You mean you try to make civilization fit this old-
fashioned life of yours, here?" he said. "Isn't that the wrong
way around" He broke off. "What's that they're playing
now? I like that. I'll bet I could do that dance." He stood up.
"In fact, I think I will."
He paused, looking down at Kyle.
"Aren't you going to warn me against it?" he asked.
"No, Lord," said Kyle. "What you do is your own affair."
The young man turned away abruptly. The waitress who
had served them was passing, only a few tables away. The
Prince went after her and caught up with her by the dance
floor railing. Kyle could see the girl protestingbut the
Prince hung over her, looking down from his tall height,
smiling. Shortly, she had taken off her apron and was out on
the dance floor with him, showing him the steps of the dance.
It was a polka.
The Prince learned with fantastic quickness. Soon, he was
swinging the waitress around with the rest of the dancers, his
foot stamping on the turns, his white teeth gleaming. Finally
the number ended and the members of the band put down
their instruments and began to leave the stand.
The Prince, with the girl trying to hold him back, walked
over to the band leader. Kyle got up quickly from his table
and started toward the floor.
The band leader was shaking his head. He turned abruptly
and slowly walked away. The Prince started after him, but the
girl took hold of his arm, saying something urgent to him.